Former Gophers baseball coach John Anderson is retiring after 43 years

MINNEAPOLIS— Longtime University of Minnesota baseball coach John Anderson will retire at the end of the 2024 season.

He first arrived on the U of M campus to play for Dick Siebert in 1974. George Thomas took over for Siebert and recommended Anderson, who was 26 at the time, to take his place in 1982.

The Gophers won the Big Ten title that first season and continued to win under Andreson, but what changed for him was a decade into his tenure, when success wasn’t satisfying enough.

“You know, I really had to sit down and ask myself, ‘Why are you coaching? Why are you doing this?'” Anderson recalled.

So he changed so that his players were not products, but people.

“Turn them into men who go out into the world and are independent, critical thinkers and make good decisions,” he said.

Ty McDevitt played for Anderson and became his pitching coach thanks to him.

“He taught me that I was much more than that. That there was much more to me, that I brought much more to the table than my ERA or how many runs I did or didn’t give up,” McDevitt said. said.

He spent most of his 43 years side by side with assistant coach Rob Fournasiere.

“I’ll tell you honestly, John was very much a CEO type, he was a good manager, over the top, and he let his employees do their job,” Fournasiere said.

That allowed Anderson to do what he really wanted to do: build a program and develop young men.

“I think I always wanted to be a servant leader, I wanted to help other people find their own way so they could become the best versions of themselves,” Siebert said. “Once we do that, it will all be worth it.”

That’s why this season shows the loyalty of Gopher fans because they understand what he did.

“I think the environment you create, the servant leadership, your interest in people and the relationship, not only as baseball players, but as people comes into play,” he said. “That’s when trust comes into play, and now you can influence them by making changes and adjustments to their baseball play because they trust you.”

He spearheaded the construction of a new Siebert Field, complete with a statue honoring one of his mentors. Anderson’s jersey number – 14 – was retired earlier this season. He led the Gophers for 43 years and is the longest-tenured coach in Gopher athletics history.